Decision Making | List Producer

Get Organized in the New Year

December 29, 2011/3 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Fellow List Producers, Guest Posts, Holidays, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Each year “get organized” tops the most popular resolutions list. It is one that has been on my list from time to time but because it’s such a broad topic — you should narrow your focus if you want to be successful. That’s just one of the ways to make sure you stick to your resolution this year. Organizing expert Tracy McCubbin has given us tips on how to simplify our lives but this time she’s making sure we “get organized” with ease.

New Year’s Resolution: Get Organized

by Tracy McCubbin

New Year’s resolutions are nothing new – literally. Each year we make the same resolutions only to find they’ve gone to the way-side a few short months, weeks, or even days later. Right behind “getting in shape” is often, “getting organized.”

‘Get organized’ is such a broad and unspecific goal that it’s almost destined to fail. Our resolutions are only as good as our plans to put them into action, so the first step is to purge.

The easiest way to have less clutter is to have less stuff. I encourage everyone to really pay attention to their wants versus their needs. Additionally, just like with your resolution to lose weight, you’re not going to get organized overnight. Read more

4 Ways to Make Your Resolution Stick

December 28, 2011/1 Comment/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Health, Holidays, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It happens every year – you make a New Year’s resolution and by February you’ve forgotten about it. It happens to the best of us – but it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s the way that you’re making your resolutions that is probably setting you up for failure. So here’s a checklist to make sure that you stick with your New Year’s resolution this year:

1. Make It Attainable: If you make your goals too unrealistic or broad you will never reach them and you’ll be disappointed. For instance – don’t say you want to run 10,000 miles this year if you don’t have the time or resources to do it. Instead vow to run two miles a day, five times a week – this is much more attainable and you’ll feel satisfied when you’re able to reach that goal. Read more

List of Great Restaurants in New York City

December 27, 2011/8 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Food, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Who doesn’t love a good meal? Food — cooking and eating it — is one of my favorite topics. I’m a Food Network junkie and I love watching Guy Fieri and Giada Di Laurentiis whip up easy meals. Sometimes I even try them out myself — but a lot of times I go out to eat. How lucky that I live in New York City and the best restaurants are all around me!

I’ve compiled my own NYC Restaurant Recommendation List but now New York Magazine has come out with it’s 101 Best NYC Restaurants List. Check it out — there are some really great selections on there. If you’re not from New York City — save some for your next visit. Read more

Lists of Things You Can Control

December 21, 2011/0 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Decorating, Fellow List Producers, Food, Guest Posts, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I will make a list about anything! Colors I like, restaurants I want to try, changes I want to make to my apartment, things I need to do, etc. President Ronald Reagan was the same way and so are a lot of people. But if you’re scratching your head and don’t know what to list about — here’s some inspiration from Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D. She’s hosting my upcoming teleseminar “Compulsive List Making: The How’s and the Why’s.” I hope you’ll sign up!

Making Lists About Things You Can Control

by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D.

Part of being productive is taking control over those areas where you can exert some control and making lists lets you take some control. Hooray!

Now here’s a key idea: We need to focus our attention, energy, and lists ONLY on those areas where we have some control. Here’s a list of six areas where you do:

1. What you wear. I’m assuming that if you are reading this that you are an adult. So you get to choose what you wear. Choose wisely and well. If your clothes are uncomfortable or your feet hurt or you’re fussing with your scarf all day, you’re less productive. Make lists related to what you wear. Read more

Grocery Lists Save Time and Money

December 20, 2011/14 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Every Sunday my husband and I go grocery shopping. We don’t even think about going without a list so we can get in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

Every week we have these same staples on our list:

Milk
Bread
English Muffins
Strawberries
Bananas
Blueberries
Raspberries
Salad
Cranberry juice
Tomatoes

Every week without fail – these foods make the list. So why do we write them down? So we don’t have to remember to remember them. It’s a no-brainer. If you go grocery shopping without a plan – you will definitely spend more time and money. Read more